As the world awaits the beginning of the conclave, many are looking at non European Cardinals as potentials for the next pope. Channel News Asia points out that “68 per cent of the world’s Catholics currently from Latin America, Africa and Asia, there are increased calls for the next pope to be a non-European.”

They asked Kishore Jayabalan, director of Acton’s Rome Office, to offer his thoughts on non Europeans with potential to take over the papacy, specifically Cardinal Malcom Ranjith:

As a cardinal he’s very experienced, he’s been in two Vatican offices, very important ones. One for missionary activity and one for liturgical worship. He’s also been a Nuncio in Asia, in Indonesia and in Timor Leste. He’s done a very good job of managing the conflicts in Sri Lanka.